Cap and closure for containers



C. V. FLYNN 3,315,830

CAP AND CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Oct. 18, 1965 April 25, 1967 All INVEN TOR.

` IENT Fiyf- 56W 54?@4 United States Patent O 3,315,830 CAP AND CLOSUREFOR CONTAINERS Charles V. Flynn, Scarsdale, N.Y. Flyndustries Inc., 211n. 43rd st., New York, N.Y. 10017) Filed Oct. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 497,13711 Claims. (Cl. 21S-40) This invention relates to caps or closures forcontainers such as bottles, vials, etc.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved multi-partcap construction which is especially adapted to the use of differentplastic materials and to moderately large and jumbo sizes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cap andclosure construction as above set forth, wherein the components may beeconomically manufactured and assembled, utilizing inexpensiveconventional mold equipment and already existing molding techniqueswhich involve thin-walled sections and the like.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved capconstruction in accordance with the foregoing, wherein the structurereadily lends itself to decorative treatment, while at the same timehaving chemical stability so as to be non-reactive with the contents ofcontainers.

An important advantage of the present cap is that an outer plasticmaterial such as styrene may be readily decorated as by hot stamping,gold rolling, etc. Such decoration is not readily possible withchemically inactive plastic substances such as phenolic or ureaplastics, Whereas these inactive or stable plastics are highly desiredwhere the cap is in contact with the contents of the container. Innerplastic parts of the cap as provided by the invention may thus bereadily fabricated of phen-olio or urea plastics which are especiallysuited for contact with chemically active liquids, the said inner partsbeing not required to have decoration.

By the present-invention a novel composite structure is `thereforeprovided of plastic parts, wherein the outer parts may be readilydecorated and the inner parts are chemically stable and Will not reactwith the contents of the containers.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters ofreference are used to designate like components throughout the severalviews, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view of a composite cap or closure asprovided by the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top 4plan view of the cap of FIG. l.

' FIG.' 5. is abottom plan view of the cap of FIGS. l and 2.

FIG. is an axial sectional view of a composite cap illustrating anotherembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a top plan View of the cap of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the cap of FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 7 is an axial sectional view of a composite closure illustratingyet another embodiment of the invention.

Referring rst to FIGS. 1-3, the improved cap as provided by theinvention comprises a multi-part outer cap assemblage designatedgenerally by the numeral 20, which is constituted of a plastic substancesuch as styrene or the like, having dimensional stability and rigidityand being capable of easy decoration, as by hot stamping, gold rollingusing plastic (Mylar) tape and the like.

rice

The composite cap further comprises an inner part or inverted cupdesignated generally by the numeral 22, said inner part beingconstituted of a thermosetting phenolic plastic or urea plastic whichnormally is not easily decorated as by hot stamping, but which ischemically stable and inactive whereby it will not react with thecontents of containers on which the caps are placed.

The inner or inverted cup-like part 22 comprises a cylindrical,internally threaded body 24 the screw threads of which are adapted forengagement with the externally threaded neck or mouth of the container,vial or the like. The inner part 22 further comprises a transverse topwall 26 and preferably a sealing liner 28 engageable with the lip of thecontainer mouth and adapted in the well-known manner to conform toslight irregularities thereof. Also provided is a backing member 30disposed above the transverse top wall 26 of the inner part 22, saidbacking member being of suitable material which is preferably somewhatresilient or yielding, such as cork, plastic foam (Styrofoam) or thelike.

By the present invention, in conjunction with the inner cup part 22 ofthermosetting phenolic or urea plastic, a multi-part easily-decoratedouter cap construction is provided of unique configuration whereby easyand inexpensive molding of the outer parts is possible while at the sametime an advantageous cooperable relationship or assemblage is had withthe inner cap part Z2.

The multi-part outer assemblage, designated 20, comprises an invertedcup-like member or cover piece 32 and an annular or ring-like member orcover piece 34, the said members :being secured together along a jointor weld line indicated at 36. The joint 36 may be cemented or sonicwelded. If the latter, the cover pieces 32 and 34 will be securedtogether by fused portions at the joint. Both the cover parts 32 and 34may be readily economically molded of styrene or similar thermo-plasticsubstance, with thin wall sections, utilizing simple molds andconventional molding techniques.

In accordance with the invention, the bottom edge of the outer cap part34 has an internal iiange or shoulder 38 which is engageable with thebottom edge or rim portion 40 of the inner cup part 22. By suchengagement, retention of the inner cup part is effected, whereby it issecurely held captive in coaxial relationship with the multi-part outerstructure. The backing member 30, inengaging the top transverse Wall 42of the inverted cuplike member 32, also aids in securely positioning theinner cap part 22 in the assemblage. The seam or joint 36 between theouter cap parts of styrene or other thermoplastic substance may be madeby sonic welding, or else by cementing, friction welding and the like.

As seen in FIG. 2, decorative emblems such as the letter f indicated at46, may be economically applied to the outer cap part as by hotstamping. Or, a decorative band of gold or other color, indicated at 48,may be readily applied to the styrene cap part by a process utilizingheat in conjunction with the thermo-plastic nature of the styrene.

It will now be understood from the foregoing that, by virtue of the thinsections of all the cap parts, these may be quickly, economically moldedwithout excessive curing times, and the parts may be securely held intheir assembled positions by simple assembly techniques.

The cap construction permits a choice of materials whereby the outer capparts may jbe readily decorated by hot stamping processes, and wherebythe inner cap part is chemically stable and relatively inactive when incontact with the contents of the container on which the cap is used.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6.In this embodiment, an inner cap part of phenolic or similar plasticsubstance having internal threads, is provided with a sealing liner 52,said inner cap part having on its top wall 54 a projecting positioningmeans 56 which may be in the form of lugs, an annular bead or shoulder,or the like.

The multi-part outer cap assemblage 58 comprises an inverted cup-likecap member 60 and an annular or ring-like supplementary member 62. Asonic Welded or cemented joint 64', secures the parts 60 and 62together, and an internal annular shoulder 66 engages the bottom edgeportion 68 of the inner cap part 50, to position the latter.

Also, for positioning purposes the outer cap part 60 may have one orseveral projections 79, either in the form of a hollow depending boss orelse in the form of depending nibs, arranged for engagement with theprojection 56 of the inner cap part 50. By such arrangement, a securepositioning of the cap parts is had at all times, together withsimplicity and economy of assembly.

The outer cap parts may be readily decorated by hot stamping procedures,and the inner cap part being chemically inactive, will not react withthe contents of the container on which the cap is utilized.

Yet another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 7.fabricated from urea or phenolic plastic substance, is indicated at 74.The member 74 has internal screw threads and a sealing Washer 76somewhat similar to the construction in FIG. l.

The outer cap structure, designated generally by the numeral 78,comprises an annular piece 80 having an inner annular flange 82 engagedwith the bottom edge of the inner cap part 74. The outer capconstruction also includes a relatively large inverted cup-like member84 having a top transverse wall 86 engaged with the top wall S8 of theinner cap member 74. Also, the outer cap part 84 vhas an annulardepending flange 90 in which the inner part 74 is nested, the flange 90and the annular member Si) having abutting edges providing a joint 92which may be cemented, sonic welded, etc.

The cap parts Sil and 84 are made of styrene or similar thermoplasticsubstance, by which they may be decorated as already explained inconnection with the embodiments of FIGS. l and 4, utilizingheat-stamping or similar techniques. The thermosetting inner piece 74,being chemically inactive, will not react with the contents of thecontainer as already explained above. l

The outer member S4 has a cylindrical outer wall or skirt 94 which ispreferably of the same diameter as the shoulder or exterior of thecontainer (not shown), thereby to provide a liush t therewith, as willbe readily understood.

The cap construction shown in FIG. 7 is also characterized by relativelythin walls whereby curing time is held to a minimum. There are also theadvantages of easy decoration of the exterior, and a chemically inertinterior cap member.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims,and portions of the improvement may be used without others.

I claim:

1. A three-piece molded plastic cap structure for a containercomprising, in combination:

'(a) an inverted molded plastic cup constituted of a chemically inactivesubstance adapted to have a minimum reaction with liquid contents of acontainer on which the cap is used, said cup having a transverse topwall and having means cooperable with detent means of a containeropening, for detachajbly attaching the cup when in said invertedposition to the .container to close the opening thereof,

In this embodiment the inner cap member,

(b) sealing means disposed at the inside of said transverse Wall of thecup and engageable with the lip of the container at the opening thereof,for sealing against said lip and conforming to slight irregularitiesthereof,

(c) an annular upright molded plastic cover piece having top and bottomends, extending around said cup with its bottom end engaged with the rimportion of the cup, said top end of the cover piece extending around aportion of the cup,

(d) a second molded plastic cover piece separate from the rst andcovering over the closed portion of said cup,

(e) said upper end of the first-mentioned cover piece and a portion ofsaid second cover piece being abutted and attached one to the otherwhereby the two said cover pieces fully enclose said cup except for thecup opening,

(f) said cover pieces being constituted of a thermoplastic substanceadapted to be readily decorated as by heat stamping.

2. The invention as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) the top end of the annular cover piece is of larger diameter th anthe bottom end,

(b) said annular cover piece being spaced from said cup except at theplace of engagement of the bottoni end of the cover piece and the rimportion of the cup.

3. The invention as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) said second cover piece has a depending skirt encircling and spacedfrom the annular cover piece, and has a top wall of wide expanse,connecting said skirt with the remainder of the second cover piece.

4. The invention as in claim l, wherein:

(a) the cover pieces are secured together by. fused portions of saidpieces.

5. The invention as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) the second cover piece comprises a portion of a sphere.

6. The invention as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) the second cover piece comprises a member having a substantiallyflat top wall and having a tubular side wall.

7. The invention as in claim 6, wherein:

(a) the tubular side wall of the second coverl piece has a tapered outersurface.

8. The invention as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) said annular cover piece has an internal shoulder at its bottom end,engaged with the rim of the cup to position the latter,

(b) said cup and second cover piece having spacedapart transverse topwall portions, and

(c) spacer means disposed between said spaced-apart top wall portions tomaintain the spacing thereof,

(d) said spacer means maintaining the rimof the cup engaged with theinternal shoulder of the annular cover piece.

9. The invention as in claim 8, wherein:

(a) said spacer means comprises interlocking integral portions of thetop wall portions.

10. The invention as in claim 3, wherein:

(a) said spacer means comprises a sponge-like member having highcompressibility.

11. The invention as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) the annular cover piece comprises a cylinder having at its bottomend an internal shoulder engaged with the bottom end of the invertedcup,

(b) said second cover piece having an inverted cup-like portionenclosing the closed top end portion of the first-mentioned invertedcup, and having a depending outer skirt encircling and spaced from saidcylinder, and having a top wall of wide expanse, connecting said skirtwith the said inverted cup-like portion of the second cover piece. v v v(References on feiiowing page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Moore.

Lusher 215-43 Crab'be 21S- 43 McCombs 21S-43 Reichenbach 215-43 JOSEPHR. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

D. F. NORTON, Assistant Examiner.

1. A THREE-PIECE MOLDED PLASTIC CAP STRUCTURE FOR A CONTAINERCOMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) AN INVERTED MOLDED PLASTIC CUPCONSTITUTED OF A CHEMICALLY INACTIVE SUBSTANCE ADAPTED TO HAVE A MINIMUMREACTION WITH LIQUID CONTENTS OF A CONTAINER ON WHICH THE CAP IS USED,SAID CUP HAVING A TRANSVERSE TOP WALL AND HAVING MEANS COOPERABLE WITHDETENT MEANS OF A CONTAINER OPENING, FOR DETACHABLY ATTACHING THE CUPWHEN IN SAID INVERTED POSITION TO BE CONTAINER TO CLOSE THE OPENINGTHEREOF, (B) SEALING MEANS DISPOSED AT THE INSIDE OF SAID TRANSVERSEWALL OF THE CUP AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE LIP OF THE CONTAINER AT THEOPENING THEREOF, FOR SEALING AGAINST SAID LIP AND CONFORMING TO SLIGHTIRREGULARITIES THEREOF, (C) AN ANNULAR UPRIGHT MOLDED PLASTIC COVERPIECE HAVING TOP AND BOTTOM ENDS, EXTENDING AROUND SAID CUP WITH ITSBOTTOM END ENGAGED WITH THE RIMM PORTION OF THE CUP, SAID TOP END OF THECOVER PIECE EXTENDING AROUND A PORTION OF THE CUP, (D) A SECOND MOLDEDPLASTIC COVER PIECE SEPARATE FROM THE FIRST AND COVERING OVER THE CLOSEDPORTION OF SAID CUP, (E) SAID UPPER END OF THE FIRST-MENTIONED COVERPIECE AND A PORTION OF SAID SECOND COVER PIECE BEING ABUTTED ANDATTACHED ONE TO THE OTHER WHEREBY THE TWO SAID COVER PIECES FULLYENCLOSE SAID CUP EXCEPT FOR THE CUP OPENING, (F) SAID COVER PIECES BEINGCONSTITUTED OF A THERMOPLASTIC SUBSTANCE ADAPTED TO BE READILY DECORATEDAS BY HEAT STAMPING.